Two men suspected of the murder of Cécilia Péroux, the ex-companion of one of them, and the homicide of one of her neighbors in Nexon (Haute-Vienne) were indicted and placed in pre-trial detention on Friday, announced the prosecutor of Limoges.
They are being prosecuted for "murder of a spouse, murder accompanied by another crime and attempted murders on a minor of 15 years" committed in a state of legal recidivism, "the two implicated having already been convicted of serious offenses", a detailed prosecutor Baptiste Porcher in a press release
According to the prosecution, the first elements of the investigation show that the two accused, Abdelkader B. and David M., arrested Wednesday, had entered the night of Tuesday to Wednesday at the home of Cécilia, 33 years old.
They allegedly killed her and a neighbor before setting fire to the apartment, knowing that three children in their thirties, aged 4, 7 and 13, were there.
"The quality of the reaction and the coolness of the eldest child allowed the children to survive" until the arrival of the firefighters, who were able to rescue them while they were blocked by the flames on the first floor, a added the magistrate in his press release.
The neighbor had come to protect her
On the spot, the emergency services discovered in the rubble the bodies of the two victims, "obviously deceased before the fire".
According to their autopsy, they were killed with knives, the prosecution said Thursday.
"Fearing a reaction from her former companion, the woman had requested the presence of her neighbor to protect her," said Baptiste Porcher, specifying that the couple had been separated "for a few days".
According to the prosecutor, the ex-companion, Abdelkader B., "was followed within the framework of a probationary stay, following a conviction pronounced for domestic violence committed" in 2019 "on another victim" and "respected the obligations and prohibitions ”ordered against him.
The other suspect is known for acts of damage, damage to property, theft and offenses related to narcotics.
"No complaint or report concerning the couple had previously been brought to the attention of the authorities," said the magistrate.
The two suspected murderers face life imprisonment.
In 2020, 90 feminicides were officially recorded in France, against 146 the previous year.